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EU poised to select DVB-H as mobile TV standard
Making official what already appeared inevitable, the European Union says that it intends to add DVB-H as the standard of choice for mobile terrestrial broadcasts across its lands. For all practical purposes, the choice was little more than a formality; despite lobbying from South Korea for adoption of T-DMB, DVB-H was already gaining ground as the de facto protocol across most European countries (Germany being a notable exception), and it certainly helps when Nokia and the EU itself have both poured money into its development. Qualcomm's MediaFLO appears to have come in a distant third place, having being eliminated early on by the EU for representing a "proprietary solution." Someone want to clue in Verizon and AT&T on that bit?[Via mocoNews]
Pantech IM-S230 swipes "world's thinnest slider" crown
In the dog-eat-dog world of cellphone manufacturing, a millimeter of thickness can make all the difference -- the difference between producing some generic, brand X handset that no one gives two flips about, and crafting "the world's thinnest slider" to a deluge of fanfare. The "world's thinnest" titles tend to get passed around pretty frequently -- particularly among the Korean manufacturers as they work overtime to rapidly one-up each other -- though we're not too sure how much longer this can carry on. Pantech's new IM-S230 clocks in at an astonishing 9.9 millimeters thick, a far cry from the world's thinnest phone, but extraordinarily impressive when you learn that the S230 is a slider (sorry, Samsung!). Features include a 1.3 megapixel camera, media player, document viewer, and DMB TV reception on a 2.2 inch display. Look for it for around $535 in white or black when it launches.[Via Unwired View]
Mio unveils seven-inch C517 DMB navigation system
While Mio's range of navigation systems is figuratively all over the map, the firm's latest offering packs a screen size that would have a hard time fitting in some dashes, let alone a cargo pocket. The seven-inch WVGA LCD that dominates the C517 isn't found in too many competitors, but bringing it in at just 22-millimeters thick and weighing 0.86-pounds could help convince users that it's not all that burdensome. Additionally, you'll notice USB connectivity, audio out, a media player, built-in antenna, and support for voice commands. Of course, it does manage to pull double duty as a DMB-tuning television for those in the Korean market, but unless you're positive that this thing won't be headed out into the wilderness with you, you may want to spend your 400,000KRW ($429) elsewhere. More snapshots after the jump.
Samsung's HSDPA-enabled SPH-W2400 does DMB TV
Samsung's SPH-W2400, which we spotted a month or so ago thanks to the FCC, finally has a face and a few more details to boot. The snazzy Anycall-built slider sports a unique rotating screen, DMB TV tuner, a two-megapixel camera, MP3 player, Bluetooth, microSD slot, TV out, language translation software, and HSDPA connectivity. Best of all, it appears that this phone will basically work in every corner of the modern world, but sadly, we've no idea where you'll actually find one for sale nor how much you'll be asked to cough up for it once you do.
Japanese carriers losing out on handset subsidies
In the fierce world of wireless competition, companies fight tooth-and-nail for customers in a desperate attempt to raise ARPU (Average Revenue Per User). Customers are naturally looking for the best deal, and with multiple carriers selling the same or similar handsets, the consumer's decision carries a lot of weight. The same problem that exists here in the States is even more prevalent in Japan where the country's largest carrier, NTT DoCoMo, attempts to pack cell phones with such features as bar code scanners, TV receivers and gaming devices. All those goodies cause manufacturing costs to soar in excess of $600, requiring the carrier to discount the handset heavily to prevent customers from getting spooked at the store. Sounds like a steal, right? Not so much. All these subsidies end up costing the companies around $16 billion a year which in turn leads to higher plan prices to recoup the blown revenue from the devices. All in all, it's a vicious circle -- but hey, at least it's a technology-laden one.[Via textually.org]
Sharp crafts chip with T-DMB and DVB-H support
One of the most fragmented up and coming technologies in the mobile segment appears to be mobile TV. Europe's converging on DVB-H, Korea likes T- and S-DMB, Japan does one-seg, and the US seems to be moving toward MediaFLO. We can't necessarily expect a single device to support reception around the globe any time soon (if ever), but two in one is a good start -- and that'll soon be a reality thanks to a newly-developed chip from Sharp. The so-called VA3B5EZ915 (catchy name, if we do say so ourselves) supports both T-DMB and DVB-H while at the same time setting a new record for minimal power consumption. Theoretically, we guess this means travelers could get reception in both Europe and South Korea, though we're betting the more immediate application will be to unify Europe's few deployed T-DMB networks with the more popular DVB-H format without needing different lineups of phones for both. No word on when we might see the new chip in production handsets.
Mobile TV popular in the 25-34 male crowd
That chased-after demographic of 25 to 34 year-old males just found a new fan: mobile TV. ComScore states that 46 percent of current mobile TV subscribers in the U.S. are below the age of 35 and 65 percent are male. To us, that's an obvious conclusion from the research company (who supplied the stats). The research firm concluded that younger males are earlier adopters of newer technologies. Umm, yep -- we had our suspicions. Apparently, that same group is responsible for the spread of newer mobile tech, as comScore added "once the early adopters have had a chance to fully engage with the technology and share their experiences with friends, relatives and colleagues, Mobile TV is substantially more likely to reach a critical mass in the marketplace." Cool. Additionally, the top-recognized "brands" in mobile TV were Verizon's VCAST, MobiTV and Modeo. The research also showed that U.S. consumers wanted a high level of quality on a chosen mobile TV service. We're not sure it's there -- yet.
i-Bean glasses provide mobile TV up close and personal
It's getting to the point where some of these gadget-laced glasses providers are going to have to collaborate, as hauling around a suitcase full of variously useful specs is really getting rediculous. Joining the ever-growing fray is Arisawa Japan, whose i-Beam contraption functions as a less invasive head-mounted display by beaming a virtual "21-inch screen" of broadcast television right before your very eyes. The device itself weighs in at just ten grams, packs an external attachment to house the TV tuner and four AA batteries, and a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack to boot. Of course, we'd probably recommend just snapping up a do-it-all GPS unit that handles television programming on the side, but hey, it's your ¥39,800 ($336) to do with as you please.[Via Wired]
Mio's C317 handheld GPS watches, records DMB TV
We've seen a plethora of handheld navigation units that pull double duty by tuning into terrestrial broadcasts when not navigating your routes, but Mio's C317 ups the ante by tossing in the oh-so-coveted recording capabilities. The well-spec'd device features a 4.3-inch NEC touchscreen, Samsung's 400MHz 2440 processor, Windows CE .Net 5.0, 256MB of NAND Flash, 64MB of SDRAM, SD / MMC card support for up to 8GB, integrated speakers, USB, 3.5-millimeter headphone out, and a rechargeable battery that should last between 3.5 and 5.5 hours depending on usage. The real kicker, however, is the built-in T-DMB tuner, which allows users to view broadcasted television in PIP, and even record said content onto one of their SD / MMC cards. Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be an option for a built-in HDD, but we're already seeing the makings of a very valuable hack. No word just yet on price, nor if this bad boy will ever grace US / UK shores, but the South Korean crowd should be enjoying the niceties real soon.[Via NaviGadget]
LG gets ready to rumble live mobile TV
LG is prepped to do for live TV what the Rumble Pak did for game controllers. That's right, LG is partnered with MBC (think NBC, with an "M") to deliver what they've dubbed "3D broadcast technology" in S.Korea. No, we're not talking about TV mapped along the ol' X,Y, and Z axes. Instead, the duo is hawking two dimensions of image and a third D of haptic feedback. By using "control signaling technology," broadcasters can rattle your phone just as the ball is buried in the net during the latest World Cup qualifier. They can even flash LEDs in sync with the ensuing melee of drunken fisticuffs. Best of all (we think this is good news), the technology is not limited to S.Korea this time; it's patented in 20 countries and is "applicable to all mobile broadcast methods" including DMB (of course), MediaFlo, DVB-H, and presumably any annoyingly late-to-the-game version of mobile DTV the ATSC folks might spew forth. [Via Telecoms Korea]
LG's KB2700 for widescreen DMB enjoyment
"Remain calm, earthling, I do not wish to harm you -- at least, not yet. I merely wish to demonstrate LG's newest mobile TV phone, the KB2700. With a sliding keypad and a landscape screen, lazy humanoids such as you do not need to turn the handset sideways to enjoy the mind-numbing form of entertainment you call 'television.' Unfortunately, only those in the Earth territory of South Korea will be able to obtain it. Now, please lie still while I beam you back to the cornfield from which we obtained you."
Nokia and Samsung working to standardize mobile TV
With DVB-H and MediaFLO both having a presence in the quest for mobile television (which is getting better), Nokia has announced that it will be working with competitor Samsung to further open mobile television standards involving the company's platform of choice, DVB-H. Hmm -- it seems that handset makers are realizing now more than ever that agreement on a standard and moving forward is the best way to eventually land paying subscribers at carriers' doorsteps. With DVB-H, DMB and MediaFLO all competing for the same piece of the pie, both Nokia and Samsung DVB-H handsets will soon work using the OMA BCAST standard for mobile carriers.[Via textually.org]
ACOGITO's Roaming Machine handles placeshifting, DVR duties
Hot on the heels of two other placeshifting technologies comes ACOGITO's Roaming Machine, which reportedly does quite a bit more than similar alternatives that port your television shows to wherever you may roam. In addition to being a self-proclaimed "HD set-top-box" that pulls double duty as a DVR, this dashing thin device can channel your programs to your laptop or mobile through MPEG-4 / H.264 encoding, and relies on the firm's "patented Remote Control eXtensible Mark-up Language (RCXML) technology for a set of command protocols for remote viewing." Additionally, you'll find a trio of units to handle ATSC / NTSC, DVB-S / DVB-T / PAL, and of course, an IP rendition for the unbiased set. Notably, the company also brags about its LCD HDTV (affectionately dubbed the RoamingTV) which touts a built-in placeshifter, and while pricing and availability deets aren't available for either, you can purportedly catch both of these technologies at this year's NAB event.[Via MobileMag]
ATSC developing its own mobile DTV broadcasting standard
Squarely falling into the "you've got to be kidding" category, the Advanced Television Systems Committee has just announced that it will be developing its very own standard to "enable broadcasters to deliver television content and data to mobile and handheld devices via their DTV broadcast signal." In case you weren't aware, the world is quickly becoming over-saturated with hordes of other mobile television protocols, and just like the other guys, the forthcoming ATSC-M/H standard will be backwards compatible, which will allow "operation of existing ATSC services in the same RF channel without an adverse impact on existing receiving equipment." Among the services it hopes to channel are ad-supported (free to the user) television broadcasts, elusive "real-time, interactive services," subscription-based TV, downloadable content for on-demand playback, and there's even the potential for "real-time navigation" niceties in the future. Still, we're sure the standard will find a way to operate just fine, but unless a bidding war breaks out and the cost for mobile TV plummets due to all this competition, we're not really sure all these like-minded options are entirely necessary.[Via MocoNews]
LG / Harris announce In-Band mobile DTV system
Ah, yet another technology that looks oh-so-promising from the onset, but quickly becomes dulled when wading through the technical jargon required to understand it. So is the case with digital television broadcasting, but Harris Corporation and LG Electronics don't seem to mind the complexities involved in establishing a new In-Band Mobile DTV service, as the duo has just announced the means to allow broadcasters to "create new markets and revenue streams" -- but besides all that -- give the end-user yet another option when it comes to TV on the go. Reportedly backwards compatible with A-VSB transmission and receiving equipment, the forthcoming Mobile-Pedestrian-Handheld (MPH) applications should theoretically allow DTV broadcasters to beam signals to set-top-boxes in the home and mobile devices simultaneously via the same antenna. Additionally, this technology enables HD programming to hit the couch-dwelling customers, while bandwidth-starved cellphone users will still get vanilla SD content without relying on new (read: pricey) hardware on the broadcasting end. Unfortunately, we've no idea when mass deployment of this stuff is scheduled, but you can still look forward to "field testing results" as well as mysterious "extra details" to be divulged in a few short weeks.
BBC shows to hit Vodafone, Orange, and 3
This certainly isn't the first time that shows from the BBC have been delivered in a non-traditional method, but now fans of the programming will have the option of viewing select episodes on their handset. Vodafone, Orange, and 3 customers will all be able to take advantage of the one-year trial, which will include BBC One, BBC News 24, BBC Three, and radio broadcasts, but unfortunately, "premiership football, some films and cartoons, and some overseas programs like Neighbours" won't be available on the mobile service. BBC is hoping that the trial will test both the "effectiveness of the 3G network and the demand for BBC channels," and if you're lucky enough to take advantage of said offerings, you can expect things to start rolling sometime this month.
LG VX9400 unboxed
Well, looky here -- we've come a long way since CES when we scored those up close and personal shots with LG's VX9400, now haven't we? Luckily for us, our friendly parcel carrier dropped off one of these newly released beauties and we wanted to share the (joyful) unboxing experience with y'all. Just to give a quick refresher of the features, here they are: dual band 1X / EV-DO radio, VCAST TV support, Bluetooth with A2DP, expandable memory via microSD, and a 1.3 megapixel shooter. Finally, lets not forget about the 262,000 color, 320 x 240 swiveling display (which, by the by, is quite purty when opened). Check out the gallery for more pics and be sure to keep a look out for our mobile TV shootout! LG VX9400 unboxed
Honestech MY-IPTV kit streams TV to your handset / PDA
Considering the vast amount of WiMAX / 4G talk that's been circulating at CTIA, it's about time we saw a manufacturer stepping up and giving us one more reason to pay attention. Breaking into Sling's stomping ground, Honestech's MY-IPTV kit consists of a USB 2.0 TV tuner and a piece of software that enables your 3G smartphone or WiFi-connected handset / PDA to watch live television and change the channels remotely. Additionally, users can access their television streams on any internet-connected lappie whilst pretending to pay attention in quarterly meetings, and for devices with enough computing power (and storage space), PVR capabilities are available. As expected, the kit will play nice with Windows XP and Windows Mobile operating systems, and it should be available real soon for $99.99 to $149.99 depending on extras.
Qualcomm unveils EV-DO Rev B roadmap
While most folks are just getting over the Rev A novelty, it looks like Qualcomm is already prepared to take things to the next level, as it has developed a new chipset that reportedly delivers "9.3Mbps data transfers in field testing." The MSM7850 is being touted as the "industry's first device solution for EV-DO Rev B," hopefully enabling more of those mobile streaming niceties that we all adore. Additionally, Qualcomm stated that there wouldn't be a need for "infrastructure hardware changes" in order to take advantage of the Rev B sweetness, and the chipset itself would be "fully backwards compatible." As for the firm's CSM6800, a "software solution" will purportedly be available by the month's end which will enable "multi-carrier EV-DO Rev B support." Unfortunately, there wasn't a lot of detail surrounding hard dates beyond that, but we can expect the outfit's Rev B-capable MSM7850 to hit testing / sampling later this year, after which the countdown to EV-DO Rev C can officially begin.
Verizon rolls out LG VX9400, second VCAST TV phone
Sure, Samsung's u620 was the first on the scene when Verizon's MediaFLO-based VCAST TV service launched earlier this month, but the fashionably late VX9400 from LG seems to be the real prize. At least that's the impression we got when we had the opportunity to mess around with both side by side at CES in January, and starting today, Verizon customers can start buying and critiquing VX9400s of their very own (in VCAST TV markets, anyway). Your hard-earned $200 -- plus the standard issue two-year agreement, of course -- will net you the Chocolate-esqe handset with a swivel screen, 1.3 megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth, microSD expansion, and naturally, EV-DO data. We wouldn't mind a few more teevee channels, but beggars can't be choosers when it comes to the mobile TV landscape here in the US -- and besides, it's a pretty nifty lookin' handset anyway, right?[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]